I write in response to your news article 鈥淢&E trade bodies propose mandatory training levy鈥� (18 March, page 17).

In the plastering and drylining sector, our members believe that the way the Construction Industry Training Board levy is collected is inefficient and unfair. We advocate a levy on materials and the abolition of the levy on contractors.

The members of the Federation of Plastering and Drywall Contractors contribute more than 拢2m a year to the CITB. Levy payments rely on contractors to register but if they fail to do so, the CITB spends considerable time and effort in tracking them down. A levy on materials would be simpler and easier to collect and contributions to the CITB would be fairly spread across all those using the sector. Anyone who buys materials would contribute to the industry鈥檚 future.

Ensuring that our industry has the necessary skills to support our clients is vital. The federation supports a sector worth 拢2.5bn a year and we represent 70% of the largest plastering, drylining and screeding firms in the UK.

Brian Woolnough, president, Federation of Plastering and Drywall Contractors

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